Joshua Borges capped off a long day with a long drive to centerfield, slapping a three run homer in a seventh inning that saw six Loyola hitters cross home plate.
Unfortunately for Loyola, which was down eight runs to start the inning, neither team would score again after that jolt of offense.
The Wolfpack lost 11-9 to conference rival and No. 11-ranked nationally LSU-Shreveport. It was the team’s second defeat of the day, after losing 11-3 in the first game of a season-opening doubleheader on Jan. 27.
It’s a rough start to the season for Loyola, which now must take their 0-2 record on the road to Mobile for a Feb. 1 series.
But it’s not one that has gotten the team down.
“It’s always easier after you get that first weekend under your belt,” head coach Gerald Cassard said. “I think now we can look at the things we didn’t do so well and correct those.”
If that’s the team’s goal, then they’re going to have to focus on the weakness that LSU-Shreveport exposed: pitching.
A hard-hitting, patient team, the Pilots sat on the good pitches and smacked the bad ones – far. For the ‘Pack, too many were bad. The Pilots had three home runs and seven doubles on the day.
Don’t expect opponents to continue hitting so hard. Besides getting through the early-season jitters, Loyola won’t have to face a national contender like LSU-Shreveport every week.
In 2007, the Pilots finished second with a .304 batting average on their way to a 41-15 record.
Physics junior Kevin Fontenot’s performace gives added hope. He closed out the second game by pitching 3.1 innings of scoreless ball.
Finishing without a strikeout, he didn’t overpower batters. But he did keep the Pilots on their toes and Loyola in the game.
“I love coming in like that. As a closer, you love having to come up with a chance to win the game,” Fontenot said. “You’re always looking for saves, but if you get a win as a closer it’s very rare. I love that chance.”
On offense, Loyola had plenty to be excited about.
Borges, management junior, went three for eight with four runs batted in on the day.
General business freshman Taylor Domengeaux had an impressive debut, finishing the day three for six with two runs scored.
Management junior Mike Kelly performed well filling in for mass communication senior Bobby Alvarez. Kelly held his own in right field and finished the day with two RBIs and a run, despite not getting a hit.
Accounting senior Brian Mason started off the second game with an 11-pitch battle against Pilots starter Victor Hernandez. He fouled off seven pitches before drawing a walk and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.
“We needed to get something started early in the second game,” said Mason, who had four hits and no strikeouts. “I think that showed some guys that we need to take better pitches, swing at more strikes and have better at bats.”
Because Mason was able to work the pitcher so far into the count so early, Hernandez lasted only through the sixth inning, giving up three runs. His replacement, Zach Ray, came in and proceeded to give up all six of Loyola’s runs in the seventh inning.
That kind of approach will translate into wins, Mason said. The longer the hitters are at the plate and the more pitches that they take, the quicker that the opposing pitcher will wear down. Tired pitchers give up runs, and runs win games.
If Loyola can manage to take the momentum from the late game success into the next series, fans won’t have to wait long for the team’s first win.
“Our guys are ready to play. They’re ready to get on the bus and take on Mobile and try to get two out of three and try to come home with a series win,” Cassard said.
“We need to do that.”
Chad Bower can be reached at [email protected].
